In Mykolaiv region, utilities were sold fuel at inflated prices

In Mykolaiv region, fuel pellets were purchased at a record price, which is significantly higher than in other southern regions. The high prices are due to tender schemes and cooperation with a newly established company.

This was reported by Nikcenter.

As noted in the media, the problems of the heating season due to Russian shelling this year may be exacerbated by the traditional increase in prices at tenders. In September-October, Pervomaisk municipal enterprises in the Mykolaiv region purchased fuel pellets for more than UAH 11 million, with the cost per ton being a record among public procurement in three southern regions.

Zhytlo signed an agreement with Palyvkontrol for 900 tons of pellets made from sunflower husks with a diameter of 8 mm for UAH 8.46 million, which is equal to UAH 9,400 per ton excluding VAT. A month earlier, a similar contract with the same company was signed for UAH 7,700 per ton, but the contract was quickly canceled "by agreement of the parties."

The analysis of procurement in the southern regions showed that the highest prices for sunflower pellets are recorded in Pervomaisk. In September, Pervomaisk Hospital purchased the fuel for UAH 9,300/t excluding VAT, rejecting seven cheaper offers. The contract signed last week with VUGILLA DON PRIME Trading House LLC was the most expensive at UAH 10,492/t.

For comparison, Bratsk hospital bought pellets at 7,630 UAH/t, and Kherson medical institutions bought them at 8,440 UAH/t, taking into account the risks of delivery due to shelling. In Odesa region, the Chuchy Serdem Center purchased fuel at 8,448 UAH/t, and the Education Department of Shabiv village council at 7,850 UAH/t. Thus, the possible overpayment by Pervomaisk municipalities in their contracts with the company exceeds UAH 1 million.

The company was registered in Dnipro only a year ago, but it has already received orders for more than UAH 46 million to supply fuel across the country. The owner of the company, Sergiy Kostakov, previously ran the private enterprise Leader Active, which sold coal to budgetary institutions from Zakarpattia to Luhansk region for UAH 146 million, but lost access to tenders due to an AMCU investigation into competition violations. After that, Palivkontrol became a new player in the market.

In the Mykolaiv region, during the full-scale war, large construction tenders have virtually no competition. Contracts worth millions of hryvnias are awarded to companies affiliated with the government, which leads to overpayments from the budget, delays in work, and artificially high prices for materials.

Анна Бальчінос